Estelle ** prefers to take her
time. It took her four years to
produce her 2008 album, “Shine,”
which included her breakthrough
Grammy-winning single,
“American Boy,” featuring Kanye
West **.
Now, after nearly another four
years, Estelle releases her latest
album, “All of Me” — and once
again, it’s well worth the wait.
Estelle sings with her Brit-
accented delivery mixed with
uptempo dancehall tracks and
heartfelt ballads that touch the
soul. She bounces back-and-forth
from rapping and singing on
“Speak Ya Mind” and “The Life,”
informing listeners that she
hasn’t missed a step since her
last album a few years ago.
The track names might indicate
that “All of Me” is all about the
somber state of breakups. But
that is not the case with Estelle,
who focuses on the positive
aspects of departing from her
mate.
On the Akon ** penned “Thank
You,” Estelle shows gratitude
toward her cheating mate for
their inevitable split. She pours
her heart out on the chorus:
“These tears I cry sure won’t be
the last/ They will not be the
last… no/ This pain inside which
never seems to pass/ It never
seems to pass me by/ So I thank
you/ Said I thank you/ Yes I
thank you/ For making me a
woman.”
“Wonderful Life” has an easy-
going feel, as Estelle sings about
trying to find the simple
pleasures of life during a rocky
day. On the album’s single, “Break
My Heart,” featuring Rick Ross
**, the singer struggles with her
trust issues on the midtempo,
radio-friendly track.
In total, Estelle’s album is a solid
piece of work, and she proves
that her “all” is more than
enough.